Chaffee County or Now you are in Colorado

Week or so ago I've made a day trip to Salida, CO. This town is located a little over 100 miles south-west of Colorado Springs. The day was gorgeous, just right for me and my little adventure!
When you leave Canon City and continue west on highway 50, you are literally getting further away from Central Colorado populated areas and into the Rocky Mountains. The road lies right along the Arkansas River, on the bottom of shallow mountain canyon, and this drive west is very beautiful. I saw a good dozen fishermen on the river, a couple river rafts were going down stream even though the water is still low this time a year, twice I've spotted big horn sheep grazing on the other side of the river.
The coolest thing on the road was the sign where you leave Fremont county and enter the Chaffee: "Now you are in Colorado".

Colorado plan for next September

Next September I am taking a small group of clients to go on 6 days long Colorado Tour. We will start in Colorado Springs and go down south-west for a giant loop through Sand Dunes, Alamosa, Pagosa, Durango, four corners, Ouray, Gunnison.  I am really looking forward to it!

One on my favorite things to do in Colorado is to soak in the hot mineral water pool, especially if it’s outside. We will be going to several hot springs pools on our trip, one of them is Sand Dune Pool  in town of Hooper. It is large outdoor pool and family swimming center. Swimming pool, decks, greenhouse lounge, and family picnic area. The “Hooper Pool,” as it is affectionately called by locals, technically is not quite a hot springs, since it is fed by warm water from a 4,400-feet-deep well that delivers water instead of black, gooey oil. While there are over 15 different minerals found in the chemical analysis, the four most abundant minerals in the water are: sodium chloride, potassium sulfate, calcium sulfate, and calcium bicarbonate.

Both extremes in Colorado in one month

Both extreme temps took place in Colorado within month of February 2011. Beginning of the month was extremely cold with temperatures down to 23 below in the day time, and even 30 below at night. Colorado Springs schools were closed for three days - unthinkable event! But in other Colorado communities such as La Veta, schools were closed even longer - 4-5 days.
Yesterday, February 12, we've had temp of 71 degree during the day. How about it?! It felt like summer.
So, as we know, it's Colorado, and the weather changes fast here.
You can find our daily temps here.

Red-colored earth

That's how the first European explorers referred to the region of "Colorado" when they first came to this land in the late 1500s. This area was ceded to the U.S. in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican-American War  of 1846-48. Located in the Rocky Mountain region of the western United States, the state's abundant and varied natural resources attracted the ancient Pueblo peoples and, later, the Plains Indians. During the Plains Indian Wars (1860s-80s), Colorado's wild frontier was the scene of intense fighting between Native Americans and white settlers. Colorado joined the Union as the 38th state in 1876, today it's America's eighth largest state in terms of land mass. In 1858 gold was discovered in Colorado and that discovery attracted thousands of new settlers.

Trip from Colorado to New Mexico

I love hot springs pools. I've been to the most of them in Colorado. My favorites so far are Pagosa Springs, Glenwood Springs and Mount Princeton. I've heard a lot of good about Steamboat hot springs. It's a bit out of our way, but when the occassion arrises we'll take a drive and sample the Steamboat water.

In December my husband and I found some free time and decided to visit Ojo Caliente, New Mexico for the first time. Drive time from Colorado Springs, CO is aproximately 5 hours. Ojo Caliente hot springs resort is located in a secluded valley high in the rocky deserts of Northern New Mexico.

Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs undoubtedly was a sacred therapeutic area long before the Spaniards arrived there. As well, they claim to be the oldest hot springs in North America. What makes this place different from many other hot springs is a combination of four unique minerals that well up with the waters in this area. Guests can choose between natural springs with lithium, iron, soda and arsenic. My favorite was an iron pool. Not so much for the iron itself, but the evening temperature was a chilly 14 degrees outside and this pool had a very comfortable water temperature to be in while outside. I also tried out the arsenic steam room - I enjoyed it a lot! I was also hoping to get into some mud, but unfortunately the mud bath was empty.

The thing that struck me the most was the number of stars I could see in the sky. I think there were millions of them, literally. I love stargazing, and I do it often during the summer in Colorado. But that night in Ojo Caliente was the most spectacular night sky ever! I felt like I've never seen the night sky before.

Ojo Caliente was a pleasure to visit and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. This is one little trip I would recommend to anyone who likes hot springs. We definitely enjoyed neighboring New Mexico - it was full of fun and lots of relaxation.



In Taos, New Mexico



It would be nice...

To have a partner to share interests and passions. In my case, I would love to have someone to visit all the cool places in Colorado. Recently I met John Fielder at one of my professional monthly meetings in Denver. If you don't know who he is, he is the most recognized and accomplished photographers of Colorado. He has his own Gallery on Santa Fe Drive in Denver. 

He spoke to us so passionately about preserving Colorado's beauty for the future generations. It’s obvious to me how much he enjoys the searching through Colorado to all those special places for the perfect photo’s. Totally not surprised, but very impressed that he has the awesome ability to give the directions off the top of his head to any place in the State he's been to. He truly has a love for all this business of traveling through the area. 

Wouldn't it be great for all of us to have our perfect partner and to share the passion?


Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, CO



Ski season is here again.

Last Sunday I went skiing at Loveland ski area in Loveland, CO. It was my opening of the ski season and first time in Loveland. I liked it there. Not too busy, but plenty of powder to enjoy. The weather was beautiful, a little windy, but it wasn't cold at the base.

My two favorite activities in this world are whitewater rafting in the summer and downhill skiing in the winter. I just love it! One thing that makes skiing even better is a visit to an outdoor mineral hot springs pool at the end of a long day of skiing. There are few ideal places in Colorado that come to mind: Glenwood Springs, Mount Princeton resort (not too far from Monarch) and Steamboat Springs. Of course in Colorado, there are a few other places as well. I am hoping to make a trip to Monarch/Mnt.Princeton with my friends over the Christmas break. Wish me luck!